ANAHEIM, CA (June 25, 2009) - City of Anaheim officials, along with Anaheim Public Utilities, re-dedicated the Walnut Canyon Reservoir on Tuesday morning. The 920-million-gallon reservoir has served the community for over 40 years and is the largest city-owned reservoir in Orange County.

Walnut Canyon Reservoir is first and foremost a working water storage reservoir, as it serves as a primary source of water to the Anaheim hill and canyon areas and allows the City to manage short-term, emergency, and seasonal water supply needs. In fact, the reservoir has the capacity to provide emergency water for the entire City for up to 45 days, in the event of an interruption to our imported water supplies.

“Over the past couple of years, this local water has become resourceful in many ways – most recently, during this past October’s Triangle Complex Fire, water dropping helicopters were able to refill their tanks with the reservoir’s water to help protect homes and property,” said Public Utilities General Manager Marcie Edwards.

The refurbishment, which started in February 2008, included the replacement of the reservoir lining system; the repair of the 1.7-mile perimeter road and local drainage system; the improvement of water quality; and the enhancement of public-use amenities such as landscaping, fencing and signage. The surrounding community provided valuable input regarding the aesthetics of the reservoir and the surrounding landscape.

Beyond being functional and providing recreation for the community to seek daily exercise around the reservoir, it also has historical significance. While the construction crew was restoring the concrete “A” monument, contractors found a handwritten letter inside, which was signed by the original city crew and placed there when the “A” was built in 1970. This letter serves as a testament to the pride that City staff have in their work.

“This is a good example of what can happen when local government works towards serving the needs of the community,” said Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle. “The water system’s project team did an excellent job to rehabilitate Walnut Canyon Reservoir in a way that met the City’s water needs and integrated aesthetic elements for the surrounding neighborhoods."

To see pictures from the dedication or to learn more about Walnut Canyon Reservoir, please click on the following links:

A plaque commemorating the rededication of Walnut Canyon Reservoir was mounted on a scaled down version of the famous “Big A” at rest area adjacent to the reservoir. Pictured from left are: Marcie Edwards, general manager of Anaheim Public Utilities; Bob Hernandez, mayor pro tem; LorriGalloway, council member; Mayor Curt Pringle; Lucille Kring, council member; Dave Morgan, city manager; and Harry Sidhu, P.E., council member. The “A” was fabricated by city employees back in the late 60s for the original commemorative plaque (which is still mounted on the other side of the “A”).Click Here

The rededication of Walnut Canyon Reservoir brought together current Anaheim water utility management with former water system managers and a special guest. From left are: Marcie Edwards, current general manager of Anaheim Public Utilities; Marie Lenain, wife of the late August F. Lenain, who was water system superintendent during Anaheim’s post World War II boom years; Gordon W. Hoyt, now retired, was the first general manager of Anaheim’s municipal utility; Larry Sears, retired, is a former system planning engineer and water superintendent; and Don Calkins, current assistant general manager of Anaheim’s water utility. Click Here

A neighborhood family took a break from their late morning outing at the Walnut Canyon Reservoir Rededication site to observe the festivities. Click Here

###

ABOUT ANAHEIM PUBLIC UTILITIES For more than 100 years, Anaheim Public Utilities has served Anaheim water and electric customers with low rates and reliable service. Anaheim Public Utilities is Orange County's only publicly owned water and electric utility.

ABOUT ANAHEIM The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is California's 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 2,100 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.3 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as CKE Restaurants, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, Anaheim Arsenal, and the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winning USA Men's Volleyball team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.